New York, Feb 14, 2026, 10:01 EST — Market closed
- Nvidia dropped 2.2% Friday, closing at $182.81.
- Even with analysts lifting their price target, the stock faced headwinds from tech jitters and resurfacing concerns over China export exposure.
- Up ahead: a shortened week for trading, Nvidia’s earnings set for Feb. 25, and the chipmaker’s GTC event lands in mid-March.
NVIDIA Corp shares fell on Friday, retreating 2.2% to finish at $182.81. Investors pulled back before the chipmaker’s Feb. 25 earnings report, as Washington’s ongoing debate over China tech policy added to the uncertainty heading into the long weekend.
Nvidia’s rally has hit a wall lately, despite Big Tech’s nonstop chatter about ramping up AI budgets. That’s put the stock on edge, vulnerable to shakier guidance or a whiff of faltering demand. Feb. 25 now looms as the next big hurdle for the trade. 1
Large-cap tech slid on Friday, capping off a jittery week. Investors eyed softer inflation numbers, but doubts remained about the pace at which AI spending translates into earnings. Nvidia dropped over 2%, with the rest of the “Magnificent Seven” names also under pressure. 2
Politics is back in focus. Democratic lawmakers slammed the Trump administration over its pause on China tech actions and singled out Nvidia exports as a hot-button issue, so the export-control cloud hangs on—even as traders try to zero in on earnings. 3
UBS took its Nvidia price target up to $245 from $235, sticking with its “Buy” call. The bank’s analysts, including Timothy Arcuri, pointed to a likely solid quarter and set the bar high for revenue guidance heading into April. Arcuri’s note puts fiscal fourth-quarter revenue at about $67.5 billion—higher than what Nvidia itself projected, as seen in the report. 4
Peers wrapped up the session with mixed results. Broadcom dropped 1.8% on Friday. The VanEck Semiconductor ETF and Nasdaq-100 tracker QQQ eked out small gains, highlighting Nvidia’s stock-specific pressure heading into the weekend.
The question on the table is pretty straightforward: can the top AI chip seller keep topping even lofty forecasts? For Nvidia, it often comes down to data-center appetite, how supply and new products are tracking, and especially what execs lay out for the coming quarter.
But the setup isn’t one-sided. Should Nvidia’s guidance come in near consensus instead of those loftier “whisper” estimates, or if Washington tweaks chip export rules again, that rich valuation could shrink in a hurry. There’s also the competition angle—cloud firms are eyeing their own silicon for certain tasks, so that risk isn’t fading.
U.S. markets are shut Feb. 16 for Washington’s Birthday (Presidents’ Day), so there’s no session Monday. Trading picks back up Tuesday, trimming the window for investors to get set ahead of results. 5
Nvidia will release its results Wednesday, Feb. 25. The company’s conference call kicks off at 2 p.m. PT (5 p.m. ET), according to its statement. 6
Next up: Nvidia’s GTC conference lands in San Jose from March 16 to 19, an event known to deliver fresh product news and hints from key partners—often enough to shake up outlooks. 7
